FAQ
Do you have a preference for a specific genre or style?
We get this question a lot! The best way to get a sense of the kind of work we do is to come to one of our readings or productions and see for yourself. While we are open to plays of pretty much any genre, style, and cast size, there are certainly specific elements we look for in our selections. We love scripts that are genuinely theatrical and exciting, plays that require real collaboration, and work that challenges us to be our most creative selves. We also value gender and ethnic diversity on stage and appreciate scripts that tell stories we've never heard before.
Why do you cap the number of submissions?
By limiting the number of scripts we accept, it ensures that every submission gets read all the way through, is considered carefully, and that we can respond to playwrights in a timely manner. This way, your play won't be on the bottom of a slush pile for months on end waiting for someone to read it! We are hoping to increase the number of submissions as we grow, but at this time we aren't able to accept more than forty scripts each submission period. You can read more about how we developed our submission policy on the blog.
Who can submit?
Anyone over 18 and residing in the greater New England area (MA, CT, RI, VT, NH, ME) is welcome to submit. You must be currently living in one of those states to qualify as a resident -- if you were born or grew up in New England, but currently live elsewhere, we are unfortunately not able to accept your play. For those who are New England residents, make sure you have a reliable way to commute to Boston for your reading/workshop/production and regular meetings.
What do I submit?
One full length play (or draft intended to be full length) in PDF or Word format and a completed submission form. Both should be sent in one email as separate files to submissions@freshinktheatre.com. We cannot currently accept musicals, children's shows, or plays that have already had a professional production -- previous readings, workshops, or college productions of the play are fine. If you're not sure if your play is eligible, let us know and we'll help clarify!
What's the deal with the submission form?
About a week before submissions open, we will make a submission form available for download on our submission page. It asks a few questions about your play and what you hope to get out of the development process with Fresh Ink. We take these responses very seriously when making our selections, so we encourage you to be as thoughtful and thorough as possible.
Can I submit a play I've previously submitted?
We strongly encourage you to send us something new each year. If you do submit a previously submitted work, it should be significantly revised.
Does my play need to be finished before I submit?
Nope! You’re play does not need to be production-ready, and in fact, you’re unlikely to get selected for our season if it is. We are looking for scripts with potential -- plays that intrigue us and will really benefit from some focused collaboration with our artistic team. The submission draft should be somewhat fleshed out so we can see what you’re trying to accomplish with the script. Otherwise, be as clear as possible about your intentions for the play and what you hope to gain from a development cycle with us. Your script might need a little tightening up, or you might be looking to totally revamp the plot and characters -- either way, we want to give you the tools to make it happen!
How will I know if my play is being considered?
You’ll get an emailed response when we receive your submission that confirms whether or not your script is one of the forty up for consideration. Once the submission window closes, we expect the selection process to take two to three months.
What does Fresh Ink's development cycle entail?
The development cycle for each of our plays includes a staged reading, a workshop, and a production. You can check out our blog for posts by our current playwrights about how the process went for each of them. Though the process will be unique for each play, here's a quick run down of each development component:
We get this question a lot! The best way to get a sense of the kind of work we do is to come to one of our readings or productions and see for yourself. While we are open to plays of pretty much any genre, style, and cast size, there are certainly specific elements we look for in our selections. We love scripts that are genuinely theatrical and exciting, plays that require real collaboration, and work that challenges us to be our most creative selves. We also value gender and ethnic diversity on stage and appreciate scripts that tell stories we've never heard before.
Why do you cap the number of submissions?
By limiting the number of scripts we accept, it ensures that every submission gets read all the way through, is considered carefully, and that we can respond to playwrights in a timely manner. This way, your play won't be on the bottom of a slush pile for months on end waiting for someone to read it! We are hoping to increase the number of submissions as we grow, but at this time we aren't able to accept more than forty scripts each submission period. You can read more about how we developed our submission policy on the blog.
Who can submit?
Anyone over 18 and residing in the greater New England area (MA, CT, RI, VT, NH, ME) is welcome to submit. You must be currently living in one of those states to qualify as a resident -- if you were born or grew up in New England, but currently live elsewhere, we are unfortunately not able to accept your play. For those who are New England residents, make sure you have a reliable way to commute to Boston for your reading/workshop/production and regular meetings.
What do I submit?
One full length play (or draft intended to be full length) in PDF or Word format and a completed submission form. Both should be sent in one email as separate files to submissions@freshinktheatre.com. We cannot currently accept musicals, children's shows, or plays that have already had a professional production -- previous readings, workshops, or college productions of the play are fine. If you're not sure if your play is eligible, let us know and we'll help clarify!
What's the deal with the submission form?
About a week before submissions open, we will make a submission form available for download on our submission page. It asks a few questions about your play and what you hope to get out of the development process with Fresh Ink. We take these responses very seriously when making our selections, so we encourage you to be as thoughtful and thorough as possible.
Can I submit a play I've previously submitted?
We strongly encourage you to send us something new each year. If you do submit a previously submitted work, it should be significantly revised.
Does my play need to be finished before I submit?
Nope! You’re play does not need to be production-ready, and in fact, you’re unlikely to get selected for our season if it is. We are looking for scripts with potential -- plays that intrigue us and will really benefit from some focused collaboration with our artistic team. The submission draft should be somewhat fleshed out so we can see what you’re trying to accomplish with the script. Otherwise, be as clear as possible about your intentions for the play and what you hope to gain from a development cycle with us. Your script might need a little tightening up, or you might be looking to totally revamp the plot and characters -- either way, we want to give you the tools to make it happen!
How will I know if my play is being considered?
You’ll get an emailed response when we receive your submission that confirms whether or not your script is one of the forty up for consideration. Once the submission window closes, we expect the selection process to take two to three months.
What does Fresh Ink's development cycle entail?
The development cycle for each of our plays includes a staged reading, a workshop, and a production. You can check out our blog for posts by our current playwrights about how the process went for each of them. Though the process will be unique for each play, here's a quick run down of each development component:
The Staged Reading
Every play we select for our season will receive a public staged reading. This is a great opportunity to hear how your play sounds and to get a sense of what the audience is responding to the most. The three plays going through a full development cycle will have readings in late spring/early summer, while the two plays selected specifically for a reading are performed during the fall/winter.
The Workshop
Each new work has different workshop needs depending on where it is in the development process, so we will work with our playwrights to create a workshop structure that best serves their script. We are able to provide the playwright with 10-15 hours of focused workshop time, as well as a director, dramaturg, and actors to explore the text. A workshop gives the writer a chance to really examine questions presented in the play, to try out ideas about movement or staging, and to see what other collaborators can bring to the process.
The Production
The three plays selected for production will be matched with an artistic team that loves collaborating on new work. Members of the production team and cast may have participated in the reading or workshop of the play, or may be entirely new to the project. Playwrights will also collaborate with the artistic team on casting, design, and other production elements.
How many of your plays are selected through the open submission process?
Our Ink Spots staged readings will all be chosen directly from the scripts we receive in our open call. Of the three plays selected for a development cycle with us, our policy is that at least two of them must come directly from the pool of scripts we receive through our open submission process. When we were crafting our submission policy, we wanted to leave a little flexibility if we ever decided to do a devised piece, a commission, or whatever other cool collaboration you can think of! For the past two years, all three of our selections for development were found from our open submission call and we expect that most of our seasons will follow suit. If we do opt to develop a piece outside of the submission pool, we will always make it very clear how many scripts we will be accepting for the next season well in advance of the submission window.
I want to develop my script with you, but I already have a director/dramaturg/actor attached to my play. Can they still work with me?
We are always eager to bring awesome collaborators into the process! If you have specific people you want to include in your workshop or production we will do our best to make it happen. The sooner you let us know the better, so write any special requests on your submission form or send us an email when you submit. Please note that we are unable to use Equity actors in our productions.
What if I can't attend the reading/workshop/production?
Fresh Ink is excited to work with playwrights who are active participants in the entire development process. If you have specific scheduling needs or anticipate any conflicts, let us know on your submission cover sheet. Once we select our season, we will work with each writer to come up with a schedule that accommodates everyone. If the full development process is too much of a commitment at this time, we encourage you to wait and submit when you can be fully involved.
I’m a director/dramaturg/designer/actor interested in new work. How can I get involved?
We are always looking for creative collaborators who are excited about new plays -- shoot us an email at info@freshinktheatre.com to let us know how you’d like to participate, then come say hello at one of our readings, productions, or post-show events!
How can I find out about Fresh Ink shows and events?
You can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and sign up for our mailing list to stay updated on Fresh Ink’s events and productions.
Our Ink Spots staged readings will all be chosen directly from the scripts we receive in our open call. Of the three plays selected for a development cycle with us, our policy is that at least two of them must come directly from the pool of scripts we receive through our open submission process. When we were crafting our submission policy, we wanted to leave a little flexibility if we ever decided to do a devised piece, a commission, or whatever other cool collaboration you can think of! For the past two years, all three of our selections for development were found from our open submission call and we expect that most of our seasons will follow suit. If we do opt to develop a piece outside of the submission pool, we will always make it very clear how many scripts we will be accepting for the next season well in advance of the submission window.
I want to develop my script with you, but I already have a director/dramaturg/actor attached to my play. Can they still work with me?
We are always eager to bring awesome collaborators into the process! If you have specific people you want to include in your workshop or production we will do our best to make it happen. The sooner you let us know the better, so write any special requests on your submission form or send us an email when you submit. Please note that we are unable to use Equity actors in our productions.
What if I can't attend the reading/workshop/production?
Fresh Ink is excited to work with playwrights who are active participants in the entire development process. If you have specific scheduling needs or anticipate any conflicts, let us know on your submission cover sheet. Once we select our season, we will work with each writer to come up with a schedule that accommodates everyone. If the full development process is too much of a commitment at this time, we encourage you to wait and submit when you can be fully involved.
I’m a director/dramaturg/designer/actor interested in new work. How can I get involved?
We are always looking for creative collaborators who are excited about new plays -- shoot us an email at info@freshinktheatre.com to let us know how you’d like to participate, then come say hello at one of our readings, productions, or post-show events!
How can I find out about Fresh Ink shows and events?
You can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and sign up for our mailing list to stay updated on Fresh Ink’s events and productions.
